


Reunion (2011)

by JennyB



Series: Lent 2011 [20]
Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Alternate Universe, Friendship, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Lent Challenge 2011
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-28
Updated: 2011-03-28
Packaged: 2018-01-06 17:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1109392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On his way back east, Sanzo encounters a familiar aura.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion (2011)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [laurose8](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laurose8/gifts).



> Written for Lent Challenge 2011. Prompt: Non-tragic AU.

Sanzo was lost in his own thoughts as he walked silently through the soft snow that blanketed the mountain. The Minus Wave had been stopped, and with the calamity averted, he'd been ordered back to Chang'an. En route, he was to assess the human-youkai situation so that a plan for remediation and reconciliation could be developed. From what he'd observed, the situation was pretty bad - there was a lot of mistrust on both sides, but it could have been worse. There was a sort of reluctant truce between both races, and Kougaiji had promised Sanzo that he would do what he could with his people, but to understand that he expected the youkai to be treated fairly and with dignity. He would not agree to anything that oppressed them or put them under the collective thumbs of humanity.

It seemed a reasonable enough request; Sanzo just hoped his side would think so, too.

Cresting a steep ridge, Sanzo stopped suddenly, and he extended an arm to halt his companions when he saw a middle-aged youkai sitting on a rock with a shotgun resting across his lap. He looked like he was waiting for something. Sanzo frowned slightly as he studied the man dressed in the heavy, quilted vest and ski goggles, and he tried to shake the eerie sense of déja vu that washed over him. His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the other.

The demon broke into a wide grin. "So it's you," he said pleasantly, his voice carrying a slightly gravelly rasp. "I was wondering when you were going to come back. If I'd ever see you again."

Sanzo turned to his companions to see if any of them knew the man addressing them, and when he got three blank looks in return, he faced the youkai once more. "Have we met somewhere?" he demanded.

The youkai chuckled. "Maybe not personally. I'm Yakumo. Got a minute to talk?" he asked, and holding the priest's gaze, he slung his weapon and closed the distance between them.

Before Sanzo could reply, there was a peal of excited laughter, and from seemingly out of nowhere, about a half dozen children approached Goku and Gojyo, squealing with delight and hugging them. Hakkai chuckled softly. "You go ahead, Sanzo. I'm sure we could all use a bit of a break from climbing, and we seem to be suitably occupied."

"Tch." He turned back to Yakumo. "So what do you want to talk about?"

Yakumo smiled. "I wanted to say thanks." He led them back to the rock and sat down. "For what you did."

Sanzo rolled his eyes as he lit a cigarette. "I didn't do anything."

"Didn't you?" Yakumo gave him a small, cryptic smile. "Can't you feel it? The air - it's different. It isn't as heavy as it once was."

There was an almost contemptuous sounding snort as Sanzo took a drag. "It sure the hell isn't 'great' though, is it?"

"Maybe not yet, but it's getting better. There's still a lot of resentment towards youkai, and I can't say I blame the humans for it. But it's coming around. The kids have been a great catalyst in that respect." Yakumo glanced over to where Goku and Gojyo were fending off a snowball onslaught from the children - and their unexpected ally, Hakkai. "When the dust had settled, I had twenty-three of them up here. Those six are all that are left."

Sanzo's eyes narrowed slightly. "What happened to the rest?"

"Well, I'm sure you've guessed they're not mine. They're orphans of the calamity. It wasn't like I could just leave them to fend for themselves up here in the mountains." He smiled softly. "It wasn't without difficulties, though. Sometimes, one of the kids would snap. And the villagers hunted us. It was that whole 'kill you before you kill us' mentality among the elders. But Prince Kougaiji found us, and his people worked some mojo on this mountain to hide us from the humans. It was some pretty slick magic, and we waited up here for the day when it would be over and we could start trying to rebuild." Yakumo shrugged. "If you ask me, kids are the ones who'll solve the world's problems. Turns out that some of my kids started playing with some of the village kids; they didn't care about human or youkai - they were just _children_. I thought the adults would forbid it, and some did at first, but it wasn't long before they'd found a way to play together again anyway." Yakumo grinned. "Some of the humans actually started adopting my kids. For the most part, the village accepts them. Sometimes, if the wind is right, I can hear their voices come up from the valley. I'd never have expected that, but people'll surprise you sometimes. It's good." He glanced sidelong at Sanzo. "Just like seeing a priest travelling with three demons."

Sanzo smirked. "Now I know understand why your aura felt familiar. We must have walked by your sanctuary on our way west." He saw Yakumo nod, and he snorted in amusement as he flicked his cigarette butt away. "And you've been waiting ever since?"

Yakumo laughed. "Get serious. It wasn't until I felt the shift in the air that I knew you'd succeeded. And I wanted to actually talk to you when you came back so that I could thank you. But I'm not thanking you for stopping the madness; I'm pretty sure that was a group effort. I'm thanking you for before, for when I first saw you."

"I didn't do anything."

"You did," Yakumo replied simply. "No one believed humans and demons could coexist. Yet you were a priest travelling with three _extremely_ powerful demons."

"So?"

"So you gave me something I needed. Something that got me through some of the hardest days of my life." Despite the slight melancholy in his eyes, a very soft smile graced Yakumo's features. "You gave me hope."


End file.
